This invention relates to a solar energy absorbing-heat exchanger device of the type having metal sheets of heat absorbing material such as copper, the sheets being in heat exchanging relationship with conduits through which a liquid or gas passes. The metal sheets may be heated by exposure to the sun's energy, the heat being conducted to the conduits which in turn pass the heat to the liquid or gas. It is desirable to design such a device to utilize parts that can be easily and economically manufactured and assembled to provide reliability, durability, and maximum thermal conductivity between the sheets and the conduit.
Prior art designs have had various deficiencies, some of which include the use of non-conventional conduit designs which provide difficulties in connecting to headers; the use of thicker and thus more expensive sheets in those instances where the conduit is formed directly from the sheet and thus requires sufficient thickness to contain required fluid pressure in the conduit; and, the use of non-identical sheets in certain designs, thus decreasing manufacturing efficiency and convenience. Further, certain designs with discrete tube conduits and sheets present problems of interconnection, and either do not fully enclose the tube to achieve reliable, durable and maximum tube to sheet contact or do not adequately lock fully enclosing sheets in tension about the tube to achieve maximum tube to sheet contact and thus maximum thermal conductivity. Certain prior art designs also do not lend themselves to a continuous, high-speed forming and assembly of the device.